major oil leak
Moderators: Doone, westonwarrior
-
nfn
major oil leak
A few weeks ago I changed the oil and filters before a 500 mile round-trip up North last weekend. No problems on the trip, but yesterday when leaving our village the oil warning light came on. The bongo had just dumped its oil in just a few hundred yards. I parked the Bongo, and took the emergency back-up car out instead. Today I have been trying to figure out the problem. When I refilled it with oil and started the engine, oil peed out from the bottom of the oil filter. I checked to see if it was tight, and it was. I tightened the filter some more -- more than you are supposed to -- and restarted the engine. This time the flow was reduced to a steady drip. Next, I removed the filter, rinsed it with fresh oil, and checked the seal. It looks okay. I put it back on quite tight, and it's not leaking now. I don't trust it -- so I've ordered a new filter. I'm hoping this will fix it, but if it doesn't, has anyone here taken the oil pressure release valve off their bongo? I know it's supposed to be near the oil filter, but I couldn't see it, and don't know what it looks like.
-
bigdaddycain
- Supreme Being
- Posts: 10637
- Joined: Fri May 13, 2005 11:58 am
- Location: Ince Lancs
Re: major oil leak
There was a scare a while back of some filters not sealing correctly, i'd blame this particular filter IMO, seems strange it's only occured since the recent oil change.
ビッグダディケイン RIP Big Bank Hank (Imp the Dimp) 1957-2014
-
Trouble at t'Mill
- Bongolier
- Posts: 385
- Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2008 12:09 pm
- Location: Bideford, Devon.
Re: major oil leak
Scary, but it looks like you caught it in time - if you kill the engine pretty much as soon as the light comes on, you should be fine.
If the oil pressure relief valve was stuck - allowing increased pressure - I still don't see it pushing its way past the oil seal on the filter like that. More likely, I think, is that the rubber seal was twisted during tightening, or popped slightly out off its groove. Did you smear the top of the actual rubber seal with oil too, before tightening? If not, it can 'bind' against the metal surface it seals against, and can be distorted (unlikely - but it can happen).
Might be worth giving you engine an oil flush at the next oil change too? If any bits are 'sticking' inside the engine, this should help.
If the oil pressure relief valve was stuck - allowing increased pressure - I still don't see it pushing its way past the oil seal on the filter like that. More likely, I think, is that the rubber seal was twisted during tightening, or popped slightly out off its groove. Did you smear the top of the actual rubber seal with oil too, before tightening? If not, it can 'bind' against the metal surface it seals against, and can be distorted (unlikely - but it can happen).
Might be worth giving you engine an oil flush at the next oil change too? If any bits are 'sticking' inside the engine, this should help.
-
spout
Re: major oil leak
Just a thought.......you haven't left the old filter seal in place when you changed?
And as an aside, I want to do an oil and filter change myself, is it possible to change the filter without oil loss? ie can the two operations be done seperately? (I've got the oil, but as the shops shut for the next week I haven't a filter yet)
Paul
And as an aside, I want to do an oil and filter change myself, is it possible to change the filter without oil loss? ie can the two operations be done seperately? (I've got the oil, but as the shops shut for the next week I haven't a filter yet)
Paul
-
Veg_Ian
Re: major oil leak
No. Not unless you have the speed, agility and reflexes of Superman. Wait until you've got bothy the oil and filter and do them together.And as an aside, I want to do an oil and filter change myself, is it possible to change the filter without oil loss? ie can the two operations be done seperately? (I've got the oil, but as the shops shut for the next week I haven't a filter yet)
-
nfn
Re: major oil leak
Update:
I've had a new oil filter in since Thursday morning, and so far no dumping oil on start-up and no oil leaking. I assume that the seal on the last oil filter may have been faulty -- although there is no very obvious damage to it. The seal is attached to the oil filter (it's tucked in at either the inner or outer edge, can't remember which), and therefore the seal can't shift or come off. I guess it's best to be aware of the possibility of dodgey bongo oil filters. The oil pressure warning light came on and off again intermittently when the oil level was down only by a little over 2 litres -- so it's quite sensitive, and gives you some time to act before disaster strikes the engine.
I've had a new oil filter in since Thursday morning, and so far no dumping oil on start-up and no oil leaking. I assume that the seal on the last oil filter may have been faulty -- although there is no very obvious damage to it. The seal is attached to the oil filter (it's tucked in at either the inner or outer edge, can't remember which), and therefore the seal can't shift or come off. I guess it's best to be aware of the possibility of dodgey bongo oil filters. The oil pressure warning light came on and off again intermittently when the oil level was down only by a little over 2 litres -- so it's quite sensitive, and gives you some time to act before disaster strikes the engine.